India arrests over 100 in manhunt for Sikh separatist

Published March 20, 2023
Police and security personnel stand guard in the village Jallupur Khera about 45 km from Amritsar on March 19, 2023. - A manhunt for a radical Sikh preacher in India entered its second day on March 19, after authorities shut mobile internet in the whole of Punjab state and arrested 78 of his supporters. — AFP
Police and security personnel stand guard in the village Jallupur Khera about 45 km from Amritsar on March 19, 2023. - A manhunt for a radical Sikh preacher in India entered its second day on March 19, after authorities shut mobile internet in the whole of Punjab state and arrested 78 of his supporters. — AFP

NEW DELHI: A manhunt for a radical Sikh preacher in India entered its second day on Sunday, after authorities arrested 112 of his supporters and shut mobile internet across the Punjab state.

Amritpal Singh rose to prominence in recent months demanding the creation of Khalistan, a separate Sikh homeland, and with his inter­pretation of Sik­hism at rallies in rural pockets of the northern state of some 30 million people.

  .The photo shows Amritpal Singh — Instagram
.The photo shows Amritpal Singh — Instagram

Last month Singh, 30, and his supporters allegedly armed with swords, knives and guns raided a police station after one of his aides was arrested for a suspected assault and attempted kidnapping.

After the operation began on Saturday, Pun­jab police tweeted late in the day that 112 had been arrested in the “mega crackdown”.

But Singh himself was not thought to be among them.

On Sunday, there was a major police presence across Punjab, especially around Singh’s village of Jallupur Khera, local media reported.

The police said its “manhunt” was ongoing and the overall “situation is under control, citizens (are) requested to not believe in rumours”.

Local media reports said the Punjab government ordered the mobile internet shutdown to be in place until Monday noon.

Authorities frequently shut down mobile internet services, particularly in India-held Kashmir.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2023

Opinion

Editorial

Dangerous times
Updated 14 Feb, 2025

Dangerous times

Pakistan accounted for six journalist killings in 2024, of which three were deliberately murdered, according to the CPJ.
Difficult target
14 Feb, 2025

Difficult target

A ONE-two punch delivered by an unforeseen, sharp dip in inflation and an extremely slim base of taxpayers is...
Amazing show
14 Feb, 2025

Amazing show

PAKISTAN’S ability to turn it up at the flick of a switch remains uninhibited. The latest show came in...
Trump’s folly
Updated 13 Feb, 2025

Trump’s folly

This latest pronouncement only reinforces the fears of those who see the plan as a blueprint for ethnic cleansing.
Corruption ranking
13 Feb, 2025

Corruption ranking

IT comes as little surprise. Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index for 2024, unveiled on...
Support from remittances
13 Feb, 2025

Support from remittances

EVEN though workers’ remittances dipped, albeit negligibly, in January on a month-over-month basis, the earnings...